(Geneva) International Air Transport Association (IATA) Director General and CEO, Giovanni Bisignani, this week made two significant appointments to his senior management team: Brian Pearce as Chief Economist and David Mawdsley as Safety Director.Mawdsley, who joined IATA's Safety Operations and Infrastructure division in January 2001 as Assistant Director of Safety, will head industry safety initiatives from IATA's Montreal headquarters. Prior to joining IATA, Mawdsley was Head of Corporate Safety at Cathay Pacific and an Engineering Inspector of Flight Safety for the Royal Air Force.

One of Mawdsley' s main tasks is to push forward IATA's six-point safety programme of safety data management, safety auditing, safety training, cargo safety, infrastructure safety and cabin safety. Bisignani said, "Safety is our industry's number one priority. Despite the severe difficulties of the last three years, the 2003 hull loss rate was at an all time low. David and his team will continue the important work of further improving what is already the safest form of transport."

Pearce joins IATA from the Forum for the Future's Centre for Sustainable Investment in the UK and will be based at IATA's Geneva Executive Offices. An experienced financial, international macro and environmental economist, Pearce's previous experience includes heading economic research at SBC Warburg in Tokyo and London as well as chief economist duties at an economic forecasting group of Ernst & Young.

The industry's agenda for change and greater efficiency is critical. Pearce will support IATA campaigns for appropriate public policy towards aviation and industry-wide cost reduction. Bisignani said, "Policy-makers and industry partners must understand their role in a sustainable industry recovery. As IATA leads change in our industry, Brian's experience will add a new dimension to our advocacy mission."